Introducing Purnaa: Our World-Class Fair-Trade Production Partner
We passionately believe that as we protect your tech with quality cases, we are also called to protect the people making them.
Threads of Life is firmly embedded in an ethical supply chain, where all people and environments involved in sourcing, creating and distributing our products are treated with equal dignity and respect. In today’s world of chain supermarkets, online shopping and Amazon Prime next-day delivery, it is incredibly unlikely that we know exactly who has made our clothes or harvested our coffee beans – let alone if they have been paid a living wage while they do it. As Threads of Life’s manufacturer, Purnaa forms a crucial link in our ethical supply chain, where individual employees – although we may never meet them - are trained well and treated fairly.
Who is Purnaa?
Purnaa is an ethical manufacturing organisation based in Kathmandu, Nepal. Employing just over 200 workers and partnering with brands around the world, the standard of Purnaa’s high-quality sewn and knit manufactured products is never compromised by its beyond-ethical practices to protect people and the planet.
Why Purnaa?
Not only does Purnaa meet social compliance and sustainability standards set by networks such as the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO), it seeks to transform the lives of employees and empower marginalised people in the local area. In fact, Purnaa’s founders, Corban and Katrina Bryant, explain how Purnaa was built around their vision to empower and champion people who have been exploited. Threads of Life is proud to be involved in such a transformative mission, giving fresh starts and fulfilment to those on the margins in Nepal.
Threads of Life also values Purnaa for its commitment to high-quality and ever-growing efficiency as a smaller-scale and flexible manufacturer. Unlike many traditional cut and sew companies, Purnaa can pivot and adapt its production process to fit the requirements of their customers. Meanwhile, all of Purnaa’s manufacturing happens under one roof, ensuring the efficient processing and punctual arrival of customers’ orders.
‘I heard about Purnaa through a contact at a small co-operative that I had worked with in South India. They have incredibly high standards of production and are transparent in their communications with me as the client. It truly feels like a partnership and that Threads of Life is enabling fresh starts for those who are on the fringes of society in Nepal through working with Purnaa.’ Fiona, Threads of Life Founder
How does Purnaa protect its employees and Nepal’s environment?
As a member of the Freedom Business Alliance, the World Fair Trade Organisation, and UN Global Compact, Purnaa maintains its transparency in measuring and publishing annual data on their social and environmental impact. A quick read of Purnaa’s latest Impact Report gives us more details on how they protect their employees and the environment as part of Threads of Life’s ethical supply chain.
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Purnaa undergoes an annual process dictated by the WFTO to update their estimate of a living wage in Kathmandu, which involves considering the price of certain locally sourced goods, comparing this to potential wages in alternative forms of local employment. This process enables Purnaa to maintain their commitment to pay all their staff a Living Wage.
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Many of Purnaa’s employees previously experienced discrimination in exploitative work environments. As a result, they highly value the respect they now receive in the workplace and the acceptance they feel in their neighbourhoods.
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Recently, Purnaa saw an increase in organic and recycled material consumption, as more of their dolls and caps were made with natural fibre-based fabrics that do not emit microplastics into the water.
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By recycling all paper, plastic, aluminium and e-waste, as well as selling all material scraps to make cushions, 0% of Purnaa’s material scraps go to landfill.
It’s safe to say that we at Threads of Life think Purnaa is a fantastic organisation. You can read more about them here, and you can see for yourself their excellent manufacturing standards by checking out our website or Etsy page.
Why not become a part of this purposeful textiles story by getting your very own Threads of Life laptop case or tote bag? Thanks to Purnaa’s mission and Threads of Life’s beautiful designs, protecting your tech has never been so rewarding!
Organic Cotton Tote Bag - £12
